Making the 2030 Agenda deliver for SIDS, building on the SAMOA Pathway

Building on the SAMOA Pathway, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development called for special attention to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as they face unique vulnerabilities in their sustainable development. They are faced with various challenges due to their small size, remoteness, narrow resource and export base, and exposure to global environmental challenges and external economic shocks. SIDS are on the frontline experiencing the effects of climate change and they have limited financial resources and capacity to cope with these physical, social and economic impacts.

In the SAMOA Pathway, Member States recognized that “the adverse impacts of climate change compound existing challenges in small island developing States and have placed additional burdens on their national budgets and their efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals” . This was reaffirmed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Oceans play a central role in the culture of SIDS, and at the same time is tightly linked to their economies. The devastating climate change impacts on oceans, such as sea-level rise, ocean acidification and the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, make SIDS more vulnerable, as most island lives and livelihoods are built on oceans.

It is important to ensure the synergies between the SAMOA Pathway and the 2030 Agenda, focusing on strengthening the resilience of SIDS, in order to achieve their sustainable development and to eradicate poverty. Many SIDS are archipelagos with islands scattered within a country. It is therefore crucial to have a robust mechanism for coordination and strengthened means of implementation to ensure that no one is left behind. This session will identify synergies between the 2030 Agenda and the SAMOA Pathway and the best possible ways to overcome special challenges of SIDS in achieving their sustainable development.

Possible questions for discussion:

What are the most important inter-linkages between the 2030 Agenda and the SAMOA Pathway?
What are the major challenges and needs for SIDS in the implementation of both of the 2030 Agenda and SAMOA Pathway?
How can national institutions and means of implementation be strengthened in SIDS to deliver the 2030 Agenda while ensuring that no one is left behind?

Chair:

H.E. Mr. Sven Jürgenson, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN and Vice President of ECOSOC

Moderator:

Ms. H. Elizabeth Thompson, Former UN Assistant Secretary General and Executive Coordinator for Rio+20 and former Minister for Energy and Environment of Barbados

Speakers:

Mr. Anote Tong, Former President of the Republic of Kiribati
Mr. David Smith, Coordinator at the University of Consortium for Small Island States, and the Institute for Sustainable Development, the University of the West Indies